Wataru Endō, a dedicated component of the pitch forces, was born on 9 February 1993 in Japan. This 31-year-old man has spent his career primarily playing as a central defensive midfielder. He's currently plying his trade at Liverpool, wearing the number 3 jersey with pride. At 1.76m (or 5ft 9in) tall and weighing 73kg (11st 6lb), Endō might not be the most imposing presence on the pitch, but don't let his size fool you. His dedication to the sport extends beyond club boundaries, having represented the Japan national team with honour.
Endō's football skills doesn't come cheap either, with a current market value pegged around €12.00m (approximately £10.5m) according to Transfermarkt. He's a valued member of The Reds, with his contract set to expire on 30 June 2027, which is still 2 years and 6 months from now.
Endō's professional journey began in July 2010 when he joined Shonan Bellmare, a club in the J1 League in Japan. He made a steady presence in the club, boasting scores in almost each season and steadily increasing his appearances on the pitch. Following his stint with Shonan Bellmare, he transferred to Urawa Red Diamonds in January 2016, another J1 League stand-out, where he again made his mark.
In July 2018, Endō braved a move from his home country to Sint-Truiden in the Pro League of Belgium. This chapter of his career, although marked by fewer appearances and goals, opened doors to the imposing precincts of European football for the midfielder. His loan move to Stuttgart in the Bundesliga in Germany in August 2019 further extended his experience on the continent.
Stuttgart signed Endō from Sint-Truiden on a permanent basis in July 2020, for a fee around £1.5m. There, he continued to make regular appearances and find the back of the net every season. Endō's journey took him next to Liverpool in the Premier League in August 2023, with a hefty fee of around £16m to his name.
In his current season 2024 - 2025 at Liverpool, Endō has completed eight first team appearances in league matches so far. He has also had the honour of joining the FA Cup 2024 - 2025 for Liverpool, with one start, and the League Cup 2024 - 2025 for Liverpool with three starts and one appearance as a substitute.
Endō has shown his nation pride playing for Japan, and scored one goal in seven starts and one appearance as a substitute in the World Cup Qualifiers Asia 2024 - 2026. He further represented Liverpool in the Europa League 2023 - 2024, scoring one goal in nine starts, and made two appearances as a substitute in the Champions League 2024 - 2025.
Through-out his career, Wataru Endō has proven himself to be a consistent and reliable presence on the football pitch, be it in domestic leagues or international tournaments. His years in European football, starting from small beginnings to now playing for one of the most revered clubs in the world, have shook the notion of value for a player, much beyond statistic sheets or roster numbers.
